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Sheets-Sheet@ y MQNICHOLS Retort for Making Gunpowder Charcoal. N0;197,942;

Patented Dec. 11,1877

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l M; NICHOLS Retor'c4 for Making Gunpowder Charcoal.

NQ.197,942. f Patented Dec^.11,1877

FIG. 4,

wlmsssasf A INVENTOR N. PETERS, ?MOYO-UTROGRAPMER, WASNINGYON. D. CV

,UNITED '..STATES PATENT OFFICE@ MOSES NICHOLS, or NEwBUnG, NEWYORK.

IMPROVEMENT |N REToRTs'FoR MAKING GuNPOWDER-CHARoo/u.`

specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 197,942, dated December 11, 1877; application mea' i July 26,1877.. y y

burg, in Oran ge county and State of NewYork,

have invented an Improved Retort for Making Charcoal and Extracting the Acids from Wood for Chemical Purposes, of which the following is a specification:

The object of my invention isl to provide aretort and furnace for making charcoal for the manufacture of gunpowder, and for the distillation of pyroligneous acids for medicinal and chemical purposes, of more uniform" quality than has hitherto been produced from retorts as ordinarily constructed, owin g to the uneven application of the heatfrom the furnace, wherebythe outer portions of the contents of the retort are generallyT burned too much, while the interior is not sufficiently burned, resulting in a loss of wood, and a variable quality of charcoal unfit for the particular purpose designed 5 and it consists in a novel arrangement of ues and diaphragms both around and within the retort; also, in provision for extracting and preserving the acids evolved during the process of burning, as will be more particularly described hereinafter by referring to the accompanying drawings, in which- "Figure l represents avertical transverse section of a retort and furnace embracing my improvements. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section, showing the ues, the retort being removed;

and Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of the central flue, taken on the line w on Fig. 1, looking downward. The same letters appearing on the severall figures indicate like parts.

A represents a cylindrical retort, which, to hold half a cord of wood, should be about four feet four inches'inflength, and iive feet four inches in diameter, in the center of which is a tube, B, supported by walls b, extending down to the bottom and closed at both ends. At the bottom it connects with two apertures, a. a, in the bottom of the retort, over the arch 4of the furnace C, in which are two corresponding apertures, c c. The space between the walls 11, and within the upper cylindrical portion B, constitutes a iiue, in which is an inclined diaphragm, d, terminating in a semicircular form the cylinder B, and thence downward to its connection with the chimney at c, by which the wood in the central portion of the retort .is exposed to a similar degree of heat as that near the periphery. i

The furnace C, for a retort ofthe size above mentioned, should be about sixteen inches in width, and fourteen inches between the bars D and the crown of the arch l1, which, with the walls of the fire-place, should be built of rebrick.' On the top of this arch I form two ribs, g, extending its whole length, one on either side of the apertures c c, on which ribs the retort rests, so as to prevent the escape of any I of the gases rising through said apertures without passing through the central flue in the retort, as above described.

Above the furnace is formed a cylindrical fine, D', slightly larger than, and concentric with, the retort. This flue is divided by an inclined partition, f, rising from near the back end of thearch It, and inclining toward the front at the top of the retort, to direct the heat to the upper front side thereof. In that side of the arch h farthest from the chimney are three apertures, c c' c', one of which is behind the partition f, and the other two in front of it; and in the lother side of the arch are two apertures, c", c, in front of the partition f, which is cut away at f,alittle above the opening g', near the bottom of .the flue D', communicating with the chimney. This partition f of the iiue causes the gases of combustion to circulate all around the retort, distributing as nearly as possible an equal degree of heat over its entire periphery.

I furthermore construct the chimney E with a dividing-wall, k, forming two flues, El and 2 the one to receive the gases from the central line of the retort, and the other those which pass around it. p

In the back of the furnace is an opening,m, communicating with the chimney, which,when the wood in the retort is being charred, is to be closed by a damper, and when it is sufficiently burned this damper is to be withdrawn, and all the apertures in the arch h above the furnace closed by their respective damperswhich Will cause all the heat fromv the furnace to pass direct to the chimney Without affecting the retort, and for the cooling of which I provide a series of Hues, n, communi` cating With the main iue around the retort, which may be opened to admit cold air from the outside.

The retort is provided With an inner and outer door at the front end. The inner one, G, after the retort is charged, is put in place and sealed perfectly tight, in the usual manner, to prevent the escape of acid vapors and admission of air. The outer doors H, which are hinged at each side, are then closed over the inner one, to retain the heat While the charring is going on. I also provide an opening, n, in the rear of the retort, With a tubular extension for the escape of the acid vapors of v the Wood, which may be conducted by a pipe to a suitable condenser, to be utilized for medicinal or chemical purposes.

What is herein claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

4. The arrangement of the partition f in the i annular llue D', to direct the greater portion of the gases of combustion toWard the front upper side of the retort, as shown and described.

5. The combination, in .a retort, of the inner and outer doors G H, substantially as and for the purposes setfort 6. The air-fines n, in combination with the annular ue D', for the purpose specified.

MOSES NICHOLS.

Witnesses:

HOWARD THORNTON, J oHN'L. SLOAT. 

